April 10, 2096. It was the lunch break of the third day of school for the new students. In the Student Council room, Tatsuya sat opposite Kasumi and Izumi Saegusa. He wasn't alone, of course; he was there in his official capacity as a member of the Council.
The situation stirred a powerful sense of déjà vu. Exactly one year ago, on his own third day of school, Tatsuya had been summoned to this very room. He hadn't been the guest of honor then, nor the primary focus, but the setting was identical.
Back then, it was Mayumi who had invited Tatsuya and Miyuki. Now, Tatsuya was the one sitting on the Council side, inviting Mayumi's younger sisters. The wheel of fate certainly has a sense of irony, Tatsuya thought, his mind drifting slightly from the task at hand.
"So, does this mean you are inviting one of us to serve as a Student Council officer?"
Izumi's voice brought Tatsuya's focus back to the present. He looked across the table. One reason he had been drifting into escapism was the sight of Kasumi, who was fidgeting in her seat with visible, restless discomfort.
"To think... I might actually be able to work alongside Miyuki-senpai..." Izumi let out a dreamy, theatrical sigh, resting her cheek against her hand.
Directly across from her, Miyuki maintained an iron-clad social smile, her expression an impenetrable fortress that revealed absolutely nothing of her true thoughts. Between Kasumi's sudden "maidenly" transformation and Izumi's undisguised obsession, the upperclassmen—Azusa, Isori, and Honoka—were looking thoroughly overwhelmed.
As a result, the burden of negotiation fell to the only two people who could handle the twins: Miyuki, the object of Izumi's fixation, and Tatsuya, the one who had turned the usually boisterous Kasumi into a flustered wallflower.
"If you both have the drive for it, we wouldn't mind taking you both on," Tatsuya said.
He felt it was perhaps a mistake to let the targets of the twins' affection lead the negotiation, but he couldn't simply leave his sister to stand in the line of fire alone. He re-entered the conversation, but Kasumi only opened and closed her mouth like a fish, unable to find her voice.
"Kasumi-chan?" Miyuki asked, her voice sweet but sharp. "Is something the matter? You've been fidgeting and gasping for air for a while now."
"I-It's nothing! I... I'm not interested in the Student Council!"
"I see. That is a shame. Well then, Izumi-san, will you join us?"
To Miyuki, it was painfully obvious that Kasumi held feelings for Tatsuya. Much like her older sister Mayumi, Kasumi was a "threat" that Miyuki couldn't afford to ignore. Consequently, Kasumi's refusal was a secret relief. Conversely, having the obsessively devoted Izumi join the Council was a development Miyuki found deeply regrettable.
Naturally, she let none of this show. Hiding her desire to keep the girl at arm's length, Miyuki posed the question with a radiant, welcoming smile.
"Yes! I would be honored!"
Even as Izumi's gaze grew increasingly feverish with adoration, Miyuki's perfect, ladylike composure never wavered.
After school, Kasumi killed time in the library before heading to a local café alone. She still had thirty minutes before she was supposed to meet Izumi, who had rushed off to the Council room the moment classes ended. It was a long time to wait by herself. Izumi had told her she could head home if she got tired of waiting, and as Kasumi sat there debating what to do, a familiar voice drifted over to her.
"...As I said, that isn't my responsibility. That falls under Ono-sensei's jurisdiction."
"Even so, asking me to find a replacement as capable as you is just cruel. It's impossible."
(Is that... Shiba-senpai? And who else?)
Kasumi glanced toward the source. There stood Tatsuya—who was supposed to be working in the Student Council room—and a young woman in a sharp pantsuit.
"The Council work finished early today, so why won't you just return to the Disciplinary Committee?"
"It's impossible for me to join the Committee through the faculty-recommendation quota. Even if I've transferred to the Magic Engineering Course, my practical grades are still at the bottom of the barrel."
"With your track record, no one would complain about you returning."
"There's no need to fixate on me. If you want someone talented, the younger Saegusa sister eavesdropping over there would be a perfect fit."
Kasumi's heart gave a violent jolt. She hadn't realized she'd been spotted. She felt as though her heart had been seized by an invisible hand. Despite her shock, Tatsuya's companion didn't look surprised at all as she turned her gaze toward Kasumi.
"So that's the other Saegusa girl. I knew someone was watching us, but you've got quite the eye to identify her so specifically."
"I'm acquainted with the Saegusas," Tatsuya replied matter-of-factly. He then looked toward the corner. "So, Kasumi. How would you like to join the Disciplinary Committee?"
Kasumi remained frozen, her mind struggling to catch up with the casual way he was addressing her.
"Shiba-kun, don't you think you surprised her a bit too much?" Haruka Ono asked, sighing with exasperation.
"I didn't intend to startle her. Besides, shouldn't she have realized I'd already caught her?" Tatsuya asked.
Seeing Tatsuya waving a hand dismissively in front of the stunned girl, Haruka let out a long, weary breath. "Not everyone is as... exceptional as you are, you know."
"I don't consider myself exceptional. In fact, if you check my records, I believe every teacher in this school would testify to the contrary."
"...In your case, 'exceptional' doesn't show up on a report card. Anyway—you're Kasumi Saegusa, right? I'm Haruka Ono, from the counseling department."
"U-Um... yes. I'm Kasumi Saegusa."
The introduction finally broke the spell. Kasumi was still shaken, but she was no longer paralyzed.
"As Shiba-kun mentioned, there is a faculty-recommendation quota for the Committee. Do you understand how the Disciplinary Committee is structured here?"
"Yes... my sister explained it to me."
"Good, that saves time. Would you be interested in the position?"
"Are you... just deciding this right here? Right now?"
"If you say yes, no one will object. Besides, you have Shiba-kun's recommendation," Haruka said with a mischievous glint in her eye.
Kasumi shifted her gaze to Tatsuya.
"Izumi is better suited for administrative work," Tatsuya said simply. "But for you, Kasumi, I thought this would be a better fit. There's nothing more to it than that."
"I see... Fine. I'll do it."
"It's settled then," Haruka said, satisfied. "I'll notify the Committee."
With the matter concluded, Haruka headed back toward the staff room.
"That's that, then," Tatsuya said. "Go to the Committee headquarters tomorrow. You know where it is?"
"Y-Yes... I know."
Having confirmed her answer, Tatsuya made a quick exit as well. Left alone in the café, Kasumi wasn't thinking about the Disciplinary Committee or her new responsibilities. She was preoccupied by a single, nagging question: How on earth did he know it was me?
(Since they don't have that typical rivalry, I thought bringing Tatsuya and Haruka together was the perfect way to slide Kasumi into the Disciplinary Committee...)
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